Tuesday, July 6, 2010

History is doomed to repeat itself over and over again. This is a fact that has long been part of the human experience. Music, fashion and culture in the twenty-teens are no exception, as the 80's are all up in our grill right at the moment. Back then, thrown together outfits, outrageous looks and straight-up pop cheese were all the rage. Sound familiar? It should.

We here at ScopiSat are of the opinion that another piece of 80's history is bound to do a repeat - in America's choice of pop diva. Back in the early part of that decade, a loud, insane, over-the-top style icon burst onto the scene with crazy hair, weird clothes, and chart-topping pop tunes. Her name was Cyndi Lauper. She was quite literally the biggest thing there was, until everyone realized that the iconic hairstyles and high-concept image were both impossible to mimic and extremely 'of the moment.' And we all know that the more 'of the moment' something is, the quicker its moment passes. Cue Madonna, who busted in on the pop scene with her own (more relatable and, importantly, more marketable) iconic looks and catchy tunes, snatched the crown off Cyndi's head and set up residency at the summit of the charts for the next three decades.

Now, in 2010, we'd like to be the first to say that history - in this respect at least - is on the verge of repeating. In Lady Gaga we have a certifiably insane woman who has considerable talent, a boatload of press, great songs, and a completely unsustainable image. Notice how the whole Gaga thing has turned these past few months? 'Alejandro' came out to a chorus of 'meh's, and the press certainly isn't concerned with praising the star any longer. We're not saying she's going anywhere, but her past level of stardom and domination just can't be maintained. So if in Lady Gaga America has found its modern day Cyndi, now the hunt is on for its new Madonna.

If EMI and a number of critics have their way, Sky Ferreira just might be it. Her image is 'now' without being over-the-top, her tunes are the very definition of 'the next big thing,' and she's just underground enough to be authentic. Take a gander at her new video for the blazing pop track 'One' if you don't believe us. It was shot by the fashion photographer Rankin, and is BALLS-TO-THE-WALL BRILLIANT.